Category Archives: daubing and making

well, we weren’t late for *everything*

But nearly!!

We started off being late for latin group. It is sort of latin plus craft plus science. Katy did a fab latin lesson – but we’ve lost our minimums textbook, and I have forgotten bits of it! I then – rather foolishly – decided to revisit the wreath craft!Katy’s house now full of clippings from my garden, and 3 very creditable wreaths were made – though one of those played with so much it has a bedraggled air now! What I hadn’t realised was that there would be a dearth of knot tying ability. If I had had more wire thingies, it would have been easier. [will remember that for the future! Anyway, those that did it seemed happy enough. there was also some mince pie, jam ‘heart’ and bread roll making. [oh, we were late!]

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We skedaddled off to bowling at a not-so-local venue! We were early – hooray!!! We really enjoyed it, and were only 4 littlies in our lane, so nicely organised that they didn’t feel that they were under pressure! Actually with the lane bars up and the rolling down thingy, it was quite straightforward. Mind you, that didn’t stop us having to get SB’s ball rescued once, that A’s lane didn’t clear and we called an SOS. The piece de resistance goes to A and her mum though, for playing boules to knock recalcitrant stopped balls the final few metres. On the first occasion, the second ball knocked the first through, and then slowly carried on downwards to end up going through just as the barrier thing lifted – so 2 throws as one as it were. But the killer one was when the first ball went through, and the second one was flipped back by the barrier thing as it lifted, leaving us able to catch it back at our end once it had rolled all the way back. What skill!

IMG_2078 IMG_2076 Oh dear!!!!

The we dashed back for the rainbows party [late]. SB enjoyed it a lot though, so that’s good, and BB played with her new farm. When SB came back we had tea and then made sweeties for christmas pressies. The girls were very adept at dipping the ingredients into the chocolate. We will sort out the boxes tomorrow.

Wreathed in smiles

Today also a busy day! We did some ‘home ed’ – Piano practice [she is getting confident at good king wenceslas], maths and writing. BB did some painting. We read books together – a bit on the Saxons and Sutton Hoo with SB, and BB and I read a book where she pretended to sound out words [panic not, she was entirely making it up!]. Both girls have done a lot of singing.

We spent A LOT of time making some festive wreaths to go on various doors. SB really was pleased to do it, and didn’t make any fuss about holly – I did say it wasn’t compulsory! We also had ivy, pine and bay branches. BB decided not to make it, she did some stamping and also playing with various toys.

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We then made some banana and chocolate muffins [to freeze for christmas breakfast – the list is gradually getting ticked off! Just in time for Nana and Grandad to arrive and give BB the wonderful farm for her birthday. [actually it isn’t quite that one, Merry ordered the other one for us [thankyou xx]. BB overjoyed and has played with it non stop since – as has SB.

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Oh, I did manage to take some passable piccies of the girls with tree – see below! And, if you go to the pages on the sidebar, I am gradually doing a craft and bake post!

After BB into bed, SB and I have made cheese scones for tomorrow – we have a VERY busy day ahead! I am making the last curry – phew! Chris is making sausage rolls for tomorrow, all go here.

cough cough splutter splutter

which has been my scintillating conversational skills!

Me and the girls have been very busy today. First off we read the St Lucia bit from while the bear sleeps [barefoot books]. I know the day is tomorrow, but we are out, so we did it today. After reading, we went on to make some St Lucia crowns

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And then the girls went on to do some christmas stamping – allegedly to laminate and turn into table mats, but BB’s were just playing a game with each other, and SB’s is ‘minimal’ so we shall see!

Whilst they were doing this I was making the lasagne filling. I am v happy being a vegetarian, and no desire to eat meat, but sometimes chopping veg just takes TOO long, especially when you are making 4 lasagne [for 14]. because my attention was distracted, the children became distracting, so I bailed out of the last few veg, and we went and labelled the christmas cards. Muddlepuddlers be of good cheer, your cards are on the way – and open over the sink! Since with family cards we were talking of 50-ish, this took quite some time! BB also played with playdough. Chris took the difficult things into the post office and managed to cause a nice jam!
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We had a late lunch [3-ish] and SB hurried off to rainbows. BB and I did some playing with her duplo, and then made her gingerbread man kit she got for her birthday – with lots of run run… Whilst it was cooking she did some starfall, starting with the gingerbread man one but then dotting about.
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When Sb returned they both decorated them, had a bath and then a light supper. SB has done some more of ‘the surprise’ with me, and read to me magic tree house and thomas the tank books.

i must look up tomorrows route and get an early night.

at home feelin fluey

Both SB and I have felt under the weather today, and taken our relative doses of nurofen. Unfortunately it meant that she missed the local group Xmas party, which is usually fabulous, and certainly the thankyous on the list suggest it was again.

Instead we have had short bursts of activity and lots of cuddles. BB wanted to make fimo Xmas trees like SB made last year, so we sat and made some, and some stars, and they are now hanging on the girls tree. SB then cooured in a SOTW map about the saxons whilst BB and I played a number counting game with frogs [or ribbets]. Both got grumped at fr playing so hard with the xmas decs that they were breaking left right and centre – nothing that a bit of glue wont sort though.

SB and I read some of the saxon pages from out english history series, and discussed the pictures, what it must have been like to live in raiding times. Moving on to war in general, she couldn’t quite understand how it could still go on. I reassured her that we weren’t imminently likely to be raided here [noting how sensitive she has been of late - she hasn't played animal crossing again...]

erm. general milling about and playing! I read Sb and BB some read alouds. BB particularly likes anything with a duck or egg in it. We then made some more 6 point stargodseyes I played a bit of scrabulous – the only bit of facebook for me I think!! [Tim is about to finish totally thrashing me!! - at present 482:330!!]

erm, I went and had my annual appraisal at work – and so the process begins! Whilst I was there, SB went swimming, and came out of the pool early as not feeling well. Good on her for trying anyway. When I got back, BB was asleep, and CHris was reading SB a science book [the usborne lift the flap we bought from Joanna which she enjoys v much. BB had fallen asleep and has not woken up from that yet!
We then snuggled in front of the TV on a programme about the earths atmosphere – so riveting we both fell asleep! So SB in bed, and I am drinking lots of fluids to try and drive this lurgy feeling away – or at least not get a migraine on top.

Thanks Sarah – the books arrived today, and SB has had a look at the 2B already. oh. and in ne of my scrabulous games i have all vowels  humph!!

guess a quick catch up in order!

we still haven’t posted the early years cards = must do that!

Sb still happy with her timetable

christmas seems to have got here v quickly

I got the job! [co-ordinating some workbased education - but get to be called a programme director!]

Hmm, chris and SB have done some SOTW, she has doen computery things – such as the DK science explorer, and some solar stuff. Actually, today, she got off a chair, and said she knew why she jumped and came down. when she jumped she had enough energy to woosh her up, and then gravity pulled her back down. on the moon she would woosh up further. [i suggested she may even woosh off potentially!]. she;s done some maths and handwriting, made a cracker for xmas. together we have a secret project for daddybeans xmas present. i PROMISE it is better than the girls world head he got last year! She had a raucous playdate yesterday with R, her village-friend.
today I  was at work for part of the day. Chris says SB spent nearly all that time DS-ing on animal crossing – i gave it to her yesterday. she ds-ed for a further 2 HOURS when I got home – at which point i said she had had enough. Meanwhile BB and I played Hiss, with the lego and with her dinosaurs. SB moved onto a violin practice – consolidating notes! and then some webland [well rather a lot of webland] followed by rather a lot of jump ahead year 2. It seems to have been a v computery day!

BB and i made some 6 spoke godseyes – known as stars for Xmas tree, and SB also joined in. we have hung them on our ‘tasteful’ tree. chris bought the 2 real trees, and they will be put up tomorrow while I am at work. BB and I read books together, SB read books herself. BB and I played a number counting and matching game.
ermm, we watched ‘mary on the prairie’ and SB and i did some more secret project! bedtime books and she has ds-ed!

interviewed

Think i might be hoping the other guy did better. not sure – so indecisive!! It was midday though, so kinda ruined the whole day. the morning with the preinterview worries, and the afternoon coming down from interview high – poor buggers, having to listen to me on my soapbox expounding on education!! [btw, this is just a tack on to present post, no radical huge change! more hours though]

The violin strings game from bonners, so the violin is restrung. so had lost her music book – so have looked at the first tune a day book, and done lesson 3. rather stupidly [especially since I spent a proportion of the day saying I was god's gift to education] it hadn’t crossed my mind that SB’s reading of music is situation specific – ie she can find the piano note associated with the musical representation, but has ‘not a single clue’ [how she put it] what that note may be for violin. Her first violin basically uses the letters rather than the musical representation. Its obvious NOW of course! However, lesson 3 starts with d string notes, and actually she is quickly stringing them together.
Oh well, also today there was lots of playing with duplo and lego – S built a pyramid amongst other things, and both girls enjoyed both sizes, the kids k’nex also made an appearance and the marble run.

SB read a book about 5 brilliant scientists from scholastics great black heroes set, and was partcularly taken by how many things you can use peanuts for, and wants to make peanut soap. recipes please!! She also did some singapore maths [having done on line CIMT yesterday – sarah, do i need to send you money [how much] and address??], french on education city – leading to a discussion on whether it counted as french or education city – chose to tick education city on timetable!

we read a story about st nicholas, the st nick bit from while the bear sleeps, and have slippers out in hope. Also the usual bedtime reads. Have found my 13 days of christmas as a read aloud this year. Obviously a MUCH older book – the one I had as a child!

BB and I did some more christmas stamping -v over the top coverage of the card! in the end we were playing some complicated game where the stamps were friends, having picnics etc… SB was at rainbows. Fair bit of christmas carol singing. SB reprised her solar power experiment [under desk lamp] and we talked about electrons again – she seems to have got atoms comfortable in head, and electrons moving along like newtons cradle [well, ok, its not quite, but it sort of makes the flow of current make sense!]

BB still awake. she is such a cutie – i was singing and stroking her forehead n a sleep encouraging way, so she stroked my forehead and gave me lots of kisses!

Think thats it?

we’ve done the christmas cards

totally amazing isn’t it! well, when I say done, we obviously haven’t written in them, addressed and stamped envelopes and sent them off, that will take another 2 weeks! No, we have finished the artwork. when i came home I did stamping with B then with SB and after she came back from swimming, and a final glitter fest! Sb has mostly been at the home ed sports session, and then went to the park afterwards. SO a very fit day for her today!

IMG_1832 lots of cards!

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When we were at home, I was going to do a piano session, but the fgirls were playing so fantastically with the bob duplo together, that I just enjoyed it with them.

Blogging in front of an open fire

Also firmly wrapped in duvet – its winter you know!

Had a fun day today, though we didn’t do what was planned – which was to go to a Christmas market. the weather earlier today was yukk and by the time it had improved we were stuck into other things.

SB quickly had done some handwriting practice this morning, and had stuck on Muzzy german by the time I went downstairs [had been playing sill games with BB in bed]. She was waiting for me to print off the next timetable – so much for it being a one week wonder. Realised this is a bad time of year to start, as it is the month of christmas ed! Might try some ‘customisation’ of the timetable.

BB‘s mind has really been duplo oriented since she got the Bob duplo for her birthday. today we made houses, fixed things and were more or less trapped by bobness! SB also enthusiastically joined in.

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SB did some piano practice. we are going a bit slower as now she has to actually know what the note is, as the hands move slightly. so e tend to have some free play making up a tune and then some practice. She was so proud though when she played twinkle twinkle all the way through!

More bobness for the girls whilst chris and i prepared for the start of christmas card extravaganza! we have gone for potato printing plus glitter and stuff this year – early years card list, you have been warned! so much fun doing that.

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and then MORE bob duplo for BB and I read SB about grasslands. She then did some dot to dot and a counting book with BB.

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the cards being sort of dry, it was time to start the glitter fest – even chris couldn’t resist the lure of glue and glitter! half are done. they are planning to stamp things inside as well, so our usual OTT ouvre!

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we finished with hama beading and then some little house on the prairie eating hot chestnuts. SB has read me some magic tree house, and I have read her the next chicken soup for the soul story.

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hmm, skimming catchup

with a hope that chris might blog!

Tuesday – a Chris day! Nope, cannot remember anything they said they did! library day.

Wednesday – unfortunately I had to go into work for the morning. Mum came by for the day on the way to little nanny’s so that was lovely. Sb played the violin for her – jingle bells – rather nicely. much playing of games altogether.Bit of maths and some practicing latin – sort of. At least I remember some now!

Thursday – Latinetc at the intown alternative venue. lots of playing as well I gather [another chris day - I really missed out this week!] and then they went shopping and had a lot of fuss with static electricity in John Lewis. oh, and those blue lighted phones were bought! I got home late, but joined in with the talking about static that was still going on! So we found a good book and looked at atoms, electrons, protons and neutrons. It shew how static happened with a nifty diagram showing electrons shooting off, and how to make it. Sb had asked the night before how the elephant got its trunk – so we read some rudyard kipling – rofl! we decided it was just a nice story rather than truth though.

friday – And so to today. Has been the not so local group with an egyptian theme obvously daddy’s day. some SOTW activities etc. seems like a good time.

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i got back and a bit earlier! so played, watched tv and did some experimenting with the cabbage water indicator from tea! so we guessed whether things were acids or alkali and then tested our hypothesis. oh, and we had great fun, particularly with mixing bicarb and cream of tartar. Sb particularly liked this eves chapter of 21 balloons – all about Mr M’s house, and she would like the elevator bed. I just quite like the idea of a gourmet government! oh well, krakatoa soon to explode!

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hmmm. it is particularly crap blogging a week where i barely play a walk on part

first timetabled day. A maths day

After having a discussion on the starting day of the week, and how it is sunday, though tbh monday seems a more likely point, Sb decided to start her ‘timetable’ today rather than Monday – i think she was desperate to start! However, we actually – I think – didn’t consider ‘the timetable’ as such when choosing what to do.

The girls got up before me and watched nemo. When I got up we did some violin practice – SB getting more and more confident and is holding and playing nicely. practicing jingle bells for Xmas! SB then wanted to do something at her desk, so looked at a roman activity pack, which she probably could have done at a push, but we both agreed might be better left for later, so intead drew me and BB mazes to play with.

new desk

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An interesting discussion over brunch leapt out from how to make yoghurt to measuring temperature, absolute zero and why it was absolute, what it meant on the particle front which meant you couldn’t get colder. how our standard celsius temp is all tied in to water melting and boiling at a standard pressure. etc etc. we weren’t too sure if we had a box for thinking…

BB has done a fair bit of stickering and colouring this morning but mostly played with her lacing game and the bob duplo – which we knew would be a massive hit! S joined her for a bit, and they collected wood to roast chestnuts for all the trucks – rofl!

Sb bought me a ‘box book’ which are interesting books that we choose for the week to go with MTH, my story, SOTW or what she fancies. this one was sir cumference and the round table[ as initially recommended by kirsty]. I read it – SB guessed early on that round was going to be best, and we considered the various maths elements within the story. This led naturally on to drawing lots of circles and marking out diameter, radius and circumference and measuring them. we had a brief chat about pi, but might leave that for a different book! she decided that ‘sircles‘ didn’t fit anywhere in the timetable, so that got added to a blank box.

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SB then took ages getting dressed, and the girls played upstairs for a bit whilst i did a bit more work admin – must never get behind again [who am i kidding!] SB then did some singapore maths [which counts as maths!] and daddy gave her a bit of help, and BB and I played… Bob the builder! SB moved onto zoombinis [computer box] whilst BB and I read lots of books and played lots of games. BB also did some plasticine at one point. Chris found a best of slade cd!! so SB enjoyed dancing around to that.

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getting late and tired, so both up to bath, down to watch numberjacks and mama mirabelle before tea. BB fell asleep pretty much by end of tea, and was whisked upstairs. SB and I have done some felting, and I read to her the first chapter of the new SOTW book while she did this, and then whilst she coloured in a princess. We read the next chapter magic tree house, and 21 balloons at bedtime.

SO we counted that as 9 things! [yesterday without the timetable was 7]